The following text is from a 2019 archaeological survey report. The team has been excavating a medieval settlement site."The ceramic...
GMAT Craft and Structure : (Structure) Questions
The following text is from a 2019 archaeological survey report. The team has been excavating a medieval settlement site.
"The ceramic fragments were scattered across multiple grid squares, distributed over several hectares of the excavation zone, requiring our entire field season to catalog and analyze them systematically."
As used in the text, what does the word 'scattered' most nearly mean?
Dispersed
Buried
Reported
Broken
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Create Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| "The ceramic fragments were scattered across multiple grid squares," |
|
| "distributed over several hectares of the excavation zone," |
|
| "requiring our entire field season to catalog and analyze them systematically." |
|
Provide Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Visual Structure Map:
[ARCHAEOLOGICAL CONTEXT] → [MAIN OBSERVATION: Ceramic fragments scattered widely]
├── Spatial scope: Multiple grid squares
├── Scale: Several hectares
└── Consequence: Required full season to process
Main Point: The ceramic fragments from this medieval settlement were distributed across such a wide area that cataloging them required an entire field season.
Argument Flow: The passage establishes that ceramic fragments were found spread across a large archaeological site, then quantifies this distribution (multiple grid squares, several hectares), and finally explains the practical consequence of this wide distribution (requiring systematic work over an entire field season).
Step 2: Interpret the Question Precisely
This is a fill-in-the-blank question asking us to choose the best logical connector. The answer must create the right relationship between what comes before and after the blank.
Step 3: Prethink the Answer
- The word "scattered" appears in a sentence about ceramic fragments being found "across multiple grid squares" and "distributed over several hectares"
- The context clues strongly suggest that "scattered" means spread out or distributed across different locations
- The word is describing a pattern of distribution - not concentrated in one place, but spread across a wide area
- The fact that this distribution required "our entire field season to catalog" reinforces that we're talking about items spread across multiple locations
- So the right answer should convey the idea of being spread out or distributed across different areas
Dispersed
✓ Correct
- "Dispersed" means spread out across different areas or locations
- This perfectly matches our context where fragments were found "across multiple grid squares" and "over several hectares"
- The wide distribution requiring a full season to catalog confirms this interpretation
Buried
✗ Incorrect
- "Buried" means covered with earth or hidden underground
- While archaeological artifacts are typically buried, "scattered" in this context describes their distribution pattern, not their burial state
- The phrase "across multiple grid squares" emphasizes location spread, not depth
Reported
✗ Incorrect
- "Reported" means documented or told about
- This doesn't fit the physical distribution described by "across multiple grid squares"
- The sentence is describing where the fragments were found, not how they were documented
Broken
✗ Incorrect
- "Broken" means damaged or fragmented into pieces
- While these are ceramic "fragments," the word "scattered" describes their spatial distribution, not their physical condition
- What trap this represents: Students might connect "fragments" with "broken," but the sentence focus is on location ("across grid squares"), not the condition of the pieces